Introduction

The following are excerpts from formerly classified documents located in the
National Archives.

I hope this helps clear up some questions, even though I still have not
located my main files on Japanese Bombs. Unfortunately the bomb marking table at
the end of this article is a bit ambiguous. The final color might indicate the
tail strapping color not the color of a fourth band on the nose.

"Army Bombs" "These are coloured black, with two light bands
around the body and a red band about the nose."

"Anti-Personnel Bomb" ""(1) This bomb is shown in diagram
(1) anti is generally described as "1 Kg. Anti-Personnel/Incendiary
Bomb." In addition to its obvious use it has been attached to the wings of
aircraft, presumably for destruction in the event of a forced landing in
unfriendly country.""

"(2) The nose casting is painted black; the tail, with fins, is white.
The rubber nose cap is white, and this causes the bomb to be mistaken for a ball
under some circumstances; personnel should be warned against the natural impulse
to kick at such objects"

"Small Anti-Aircraft Bomb" (6) .... "The bombs are dropped in
clusters of 33, by means of a black-painted container so fused as to open a few
seconds after release from the aircraft."

(7) The bomb has a black body with a yellow band, and a grey tail. The body
itself is identical with that of the Japanese rifle grenade. The total weight is
about 12 ounces, of which 4 ounces is the T.N.T. filling."

"Larger Anti-personnel Bombs" (10) In addition to a 15 Kg.
anti-personnel Bomb (shown in section2, diagram (1), the Japanese Army
frequently use their 50 Kg, G.P. Bomb as an anti-personnel weapon. The fusing is
then instantaneous, resulting in a very shallow, dish-like crater, and a maximum
fragmentation effect. Often nose extensions rods are fitted to enhance the
effect."

Note: Photos in the Archives show the fuse extenders to be between 2 1/2 - 3
feet.

"Naval Bombs" (Aircraft Incendiary Bombs) "(1) These are
coloured grey with tail fin supporting straps painted red, and generally
resemble in appearance the General Purpose H.E. bombs of the same weight"

Bomb
Nose Markings

The following is a summarised version of a table in the OSS Bomb book,
formerly Confidential, published July 1944.

It refers to only Naval bombs.

Ordinary Bomb (Anti-ship) Green Brown
Gray Gray

Land Bombs Green Brown Gray Gray

Practice Bombs Green Black White
White

Dummy Bombs Green Black White White

Training Bombs Black

Special Mk 1 (Chem.) Green Yellow Grey
Yellow

Special Mk 2 (Anti-Sub) Green Blue Gray
Red

Special Mk 3 (Anti - AC) Green Silver
Gray Red

Special Mk 4 (Rocket assist) Green White
Grey Gray

Special Mk 5 (Armor piercing) Green White
Gray Gray

Special Mk 6 (Incendiary) Green red Gray
Red

Special Mk 7 (Bacillus) Green Purple Gray
Purple

Smoke Bomb Green Black Grey Black

Japanese
Practise Bombs & Torpedoes

Click the
thumbnails to the right to read about Japanese Aircraft Torpedoes and
Practise Bombs, and to view the detailed specifications of Japanese
Torpedoes:

Observations
from Photos

Observation of photos have suggested the following
ordnance colors for the specified aircraft type: